Society/Culture Father's Day or Special Persons Day? The case for change.

[Lethality]

The name Father's Day seems a bit antiquated now that Fathers are not a perfunctory part of a family unit, and post-SSM (I assume it will pass and rightly so), what is the message that it sends, not only to children without present fathers, but also to gay couples?

I always dreaded Father's Day because I didn't want to include my father. He was an alcoholic and verbally abusive to all of us. So I sympathise with children in particular who want no part of this holiday for other reasons, ie. not having a present biological father at all.

What is your opinion on picking a more inclusive name? How would you go about it?

http://honey.nine.com.au/2017/08/30...-special-persons-day-backlash-on-social-media

An Australian academic is pushing for Father’s Day to be renamed Special Persons’ Day.

Dr Red Ruby Scarlet, convener of Social Justice In Early Childhood Activist Group, explained on news programme, Today Tonight, that shifting language around important days can help the community become more inclusive.

“If we think about children’s rights and how they get to participate in a community and feel a sense of belonging, sometimes shifting the language around those emotive and important days can be significant and more inclusive,” said Dr Scarlet, who has a doctorate in early childhood studies.

I see red: Dr Red Ruby Scarlet is an advocate for changing the language around significant family days in Australia. Image: youtube

There are a huge range of different family structures, Dr Scarlet continued, and she believes there are better ways to describe emotive events around families than the way we currently describe them.

"We have single parent families, satellite families, extended families, lesbian and gay families,” Dr Scarlet said

 

[FredLeDeux]

The name Father's Day seems a bit antiquated now that Fathers are not a perfunctory part of a family unit, and post-SSM (I assume it will pass and rightly so), what is the message that it sends, not only to children without present fathers, but also to gay couples?

I always dreaded Father's Day because I didn't want to include my father. He was an alcoholic and verbally abusive to all of us. So I sympathise with children in particular who want no part of this holiday for other reasons, ie. not having a present biological father at all.

http://honey.nine.com.au/2017/08/30...-special-persons-day-backlash-on-social-media

Doctor Red Effing Ruby Scarlet?!?!
Your post is 5 months late.

 

[Lethality]

Doctor Red Effing Ruby Scarlet?!?!
Your post is 5 months late.

It's 'father's day' right now . . . What are your opinions on picking a more inclusive name?

 

[Kurve]

Oh seriously ... I back you on many things but this I won't. Fathers Day should be celebrated every day, as Mothers Day. Like Christmas, it's all about selling stuff that people don't need. Wrong take man.

 

[Lethality]

Oh seriously ... I back you on many things but this I won't. Fathers Day should be celebrated every day, as Mothers Day. Like Christmas, it's all about selling stuff that people don't need. Wrong take man.

Are you saying we don't need Father's Day or Special Person's Day at all?

 

[Tiger08]

Sorry to hear about the relationship with your father. However, like a lot of people I enjoy taking the opportunity to celebrate all my Dad did for me and the family. We do the same for Mum on Mother's Day.. so by renaming fathers day do we need to rename Mothers Day as well? Then do we need to merge the days or do we have two Special Person Days?

If you're not Christian, don't celebrate Christmas. If you don't want to acknowledge Fathers Day, then don't.

 

[Brunswick Trap King]

I think a better solution would be to remove any special purpose or celebratory day. By naming certain people or groups, we are actually excluding others from these celebrations.

I love my father, but I'm not sure people that don't have a dad should have it shoved in their face.

 

[Brunswick Trap King]

What about men and women that can't have children?

 

[Kurve]

Are you saying we don't need Father's Day or Special Person's Day at all?

Yes. That's what I'm saying.

And you shouldn't have to feel in any way obligated. Your truth is yours and you honour it in your time.

 

[Tiger08]

Cancel Valentine's Day as well because it makes single people upset?

 

[Lethality]

Yes. That's what I'm saying.

And you shouldn't have to feel in any way obligated. Your truth is yours and you honour it in your time.

I think this would be the best solution, and we just celebrate our parents or guardians or miscellaneous every day, however this is a market interest in promoting these days so I don't see it stopping anytime soon.

 

[Lethality]

If you're not Christian, don't celebrate Christmas. If you don't want to acknowledge Fathers Day, then don't.

In many cases we don't mention Christmas due to this consideration. Is it too much to ask that we do the same for 'Father's Day'?

 

[Tiger08]

In many cases we don't mention Christmas due to this consideration. Is it too much to ask that we do the same for 'Father's Day'?

Is there anything we can safely mention without fearing hurting someone's feelings? I know people who live in Melbourne who hate AFL.. should we stop talking about AFL because of them. What about people who think gambling is terrible.. should we cancel Melbourne Cup Day?

 

[Lethality]

Is there anything we can safely mention without fearing hurting someone's feelings? I know people who live in Melbourne who hate AFL.. should we stop talking about AFL because of them. What about people who think gambling is terrible.. should we cancel Melbourne Cup Day?

We do need to work on our addiction to gambling, particularly pokies.

 

[Kurve]

I think this would be the best solution, and we just celebrate our parents or guardians or miscellaneous every day, however this is a market interest in promoting these days so I don't see it stopping anytime soon.

Truth first. Who gives a rats ass about the market? Live your truth. x

Also, let others live theirs.

 

[Lethality]

I felt excluded at school for a number of reasons, my father being only one of them.

My religion or lack of it.
Being an immigrant from a poor family in a school of well-to-do Anglo-Celts.
Having to hide the abuse that I experienced at home in a school of happy children.
Playing soccer instead of AFL.
Having a surname nobody could pronounce, or which was purposely mispronounced.

If we can get rid of one of these reasons for exclusion, I think it'll be worth it.

 

[Kurve]

We do need to work on our addiction to gambling, particularly pokies.

I felt excluded at school for a number of reasons, my father being only one of them.

My religion or lack of it.
Being an immigrant from a poor family in a school of well-to-do Anglo-Celts.
Having to hide the abuse that I experienced at home in a school of happy children.
Playing soccer instead of AFL.
Having a surname nobody could pronounce, or which was purposely mispronounced.

If we can get rid of one of these reasons for exclusion, I think it'll be worth it.

<What about your Mum? Which primary school? What was your name?

 

[FredLeDeux]

I felt excluded at school for a number of reasons, my father being only one of them.

My religion or lack of it.
Being an immigrant from a poor family in a school of well-to-do Anglo-Celts.
Having to hide the abuse that I experienced at home in a school of happy children.
Playing soccer instead of AFL.
Having a surname nobody could pronounce, or which was purposely mispronounced.

If we can get rid of one of these reasons for exclusion, I think it'll be worth it.

OK then we're all agreed, ban soccer.

 

[Kurve]

OK then we're all agreed, ban soccer.

Shutup Fred don't be an arsehole

 

[roscreasl98]

I felt excluded at school for a number of reasons, my father being only one of them.

My religion or lack of it.
Being an immigrant from a poor family in a school of well-to-do Anglo-Celts.
Having to hide the abuse that I experienced at home in a school of happy children.
Playing soccer instead of AFL.
Having a surname nobody could pronounce, or which was purposely mispronounced.

If we can get rid of one of these reasons for exclusion, I think it'll be worth it.

Buy some tissues.
Oh yeah, and a violin.....

 

[Lethality]

<What about your Mum? Which primary school? What was your name?

Mother was abusive as well, however she was pleasant most of the time and able to put on a good face for the school. She was more physically abusive, which I suppose is what one would expect of a father. He didn't hit us but it was verbal and he was unpleasant and he would often destroy things, or punch holes in the walls.

My surname is long and foreign.

 

[Tiger08]

We do need to work on our addiction to gambling, particularly pokies.

I agree with you.. and I have no problem with running gambling warning advertisements or even restrictions on advertising (the amount shown in AFL is absurd) but based on other causes, the progressive answer would be something like:

1 - redefining the term "gambling" to exclude the involvement of money
2 - changing the date of the Melbourne Cup so people can forget about money they've lost that day
3 - requiring a public apology from all gambling companies for money people have lost
4 - telling gambling addicts that it's not their fault and the guy who invented the poker machine is to blame.
5 - removing the name of the guy who invented poker machine from historical public record

 

[Kurve]

Buy some tissues.
Oh yeah, and a violin.....

You too, you have a choice here. Why are you even weighing in? Do you have an even heavier issue? No need to be a f********** ****

 

[roscreasl98]

You too, you have a choice here. Why are you even weighing in? Do you have an even heavier issue? No need to be a f********** ****

You don't believe this bloke do you?
Look at his past threads, then get back to me...

 

[Tiger08]

With all due sensitivity to the OP, IMO the positives that come from celebrating Fathers Day far outweigh the negative impact on the relative few people who have negative connotations associated with it.